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For the Youth, It is Time to Focus on the Fiscal Issues

There is no doubt fiscal conservatism and social conservatism go hand in hand. I, myself am a fiscal and social conservative, but social conservatism is not the focus for many under the age of 30.

Nationally, Republicans have been losing the youth vote in at least the last three presidential elections. There are many reasons for those disappointing results, but at least in part, Americans are becoming less socially conservative. According to a Gallup Poll released last week, 51% of Americans identify themselves as economically conservative, while only 42% said they were socially conservative.

Does this mean we should we forget about social conservatism? No. Should we give up on relaying the economic benefits of marriage and family to people under the age of 30? No, but if we focus on the fiscal issues first with students and low information voters in other demographics, we will begin to take some ground and win national elections again.

If you ask a high school or college student if they would rather have a smaller government that spends less, or a bigger government that spends more, they will most likely choose the former; a smaller government that spends less. If you asked the same student if they support gay marriage they are more likely to say yes. According to a Washington Post/ABC NewsPoll, 81% of citizens from ages 18-29 approve of gay marriage.

Many of my teachers and friends who identify themselves as liberal, are fiscally conservative and frankly, just want the government out of their lives. Many Americans want less spending, small government, lower taxes, less debt, and free market capitalism. In 2012, according to Gallup a whopping 55% of Democratic leaning people supported capitalism, while in 2010 only 36% of all Americans saw socialism as positive.

Fiscal conservatism is common sense that is no longer common. We should be focusing on issues that the youth have a stake in and teaching them in the process. It is my future, their future, that is being robbed by out of control spending and when messaged correctly, they'll care. Not only does fiscal conservatism bode well for both sides of the political spectrum, but it is uncharted territory for students across the country. Most students do not know the severity of our national debt, our unemployment numbers or our out-of-control government programs because they haven’t learned enough about it. Educating students about the fiscal issues and the solutions, will result in only one thing; a conservative victory.

The majority of students want freedom from the government and the opportunity to persue their goals. How many youths want to be told how to eat, what to listen to, where they can go? None. Again, if messaged correctly and we teach them about the proper role of government, they will want the government to stay out of their lives, resulting in fewer costly laws and regulations. Everyone wants to be rewarded for hard work and success, and values an even playing field as well. That is what we, as conservatives, stand for. For that reason, it is vital that we spend more time educating students on the fiscal issues.

I know for a fact, as a high school student, my peers go to the voting booth only thinking about gay marriage, abortion or other social issues. We must change this and move them to start voting with their financial future in mind. With Social Security failing, Obamacare hitting the youth hardest and an education system in crisis, the youth have everything to lose and nothing to gain if we don't get them on board.

Just two days after facing an historic uprising within the ranks of his own House Republican Conference, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) defended his four-year record as the lower chamber's presiding officer, telling reporters that he is "the most anti-establishment Speaker" in history.

President Obama continues to lose the youth’s support-and fast. Just a few months ago, Harvard released a poll showing that 57% of Millennials disapproved of ObamaCare. That same poll showed that 54% of Americans from ages 18-29 disapproved of Obama, while only 41% approved. These statistics aren’t all that surprising, as Obama has made things extremely hard for the average millennial in his first 5 years. Student loan debt, job availability, ObamaCare and the overall national debt have crippled America’s youth.

It’s funny how the most innocuous and inconspicuous moments can turn out to be the most profound. My education and professional background is firmly rooted in the blood sport of politics. Outside of earning my degree in political science, and working in the field, I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent sitting in political campaign strategy conferences and seminars across the country.

Few things are as annoying as the right's collective whining about media bias. Yeah, I just went there. Yes, the media is painfully biased. Yes, the majority of press outlets systematically blackout stories and seem to be in collusion with one another in the painting of the national news picture. Yes, it's unfair and yes, it sucks - hard.

James O'Keefe's Project Veritas released their latest investigation today. Utilizing the most common anti-second amendment argument of the left, "for the children," Project Veritas investigators confronted Piers Morgan, TriBeCa Enterprises employees and Oprah's production company, Harpo films. Posing as a non-profit group called "Act Against Arms," investigators asked Hollywood to sign a pledge to remove all guns from films, past and present.

I imagine I'm like many of my peers and despite November election results, I was hoping that the GOP might learn a lesson or two and adjust accordingly. I was skeptical, but hopeful nonetheless. Then the 100 page report happened and confirmed what I knew in my gut - the GOP hasn't learned one damn thing. And so, my list of grievances. Were I in D.C., I'd nail them to door of the GOP headquarters in the most theatrical way possible, but I digress.1. Why was Reince re-elected?

As Republicans were starting the 113th Congress, I offered them some unsolicited advice from my years in marketing. Noting the overwhelmingly pro-Obama bias of the mainstream media, I recommended they use a little messaging jujitsu. They could use the president’s rhetoric against him and win over a frustrated electorate at the same time.